John Perry
Ceist:80 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Transport his plans for the Limerick to Athenry and Claremorris train line; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18343/02]
Written Answers. - Rail Services.
Pat Breen
Ceist:84 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport his plans for the development of the Western Rail Corridor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18295/02]
Paul Kehoe
Ceist:88 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Transport whether he has plans to downgrade the rail services to County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18329/02]
Seymour Crawford
Ceist:96 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Transport when the strategic study launched by his predecessor on the future development of the rail service will be completed and published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18345/02]
John Deasy
Ceist:107 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Transport the plans he has to develop a rail commuter service to Waterford city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18330/02]
John Perry
Ceist:123 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Transport the plans Irish Rail has to downgrade and upgrade existing rail lines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18344/02]
Pádraic McCormack
Ceist:130 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Transport if he will develop a passenger rail service on the Western rail corridor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18297/02]
Brendan Howlin
Ceist:132 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Transport if he has received a report from Iarnród Éireann recommending the closure of the Rosslare to Gorey and Rosslare to Waterford rail links; if these rail links will remain operational, having regard to their importance to commuters and to the general economy in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18231/02]
Denis Naughten
Ceist:136 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport the plans Irish Rail has to re-open rail lines; the cost of each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18341/02]
Pádraic McCormack
Ceist:137 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Transport the plans he has to develop a rail commuter service to Galway city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18296/02]
Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:141 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Transport if he has satisfied himself that the investment into the railways is adequate; and his plans in this regard. [18222/02]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:237 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport if he will examine the possibility of introducing new spurs to the existing rail system to facilitate growing urbanisation with particular reference to towns and villages where relatively little investment can have dramatic results; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18581/02]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:242 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the position in regard to the upgrading of the rail system, both commuter and provincial services, with particular reference to the objective of providing an efficient and effective service right throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18586/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 84, 88, 96, 107, 123, 130, 132, 136, 137, 141, 237 and 242 together.
The Government is committed to the revitalisation of the railways through major investment programmes designed to improve the safety of the network, increase its physical capacity to cater for growing demand and to improve the quality, speed and reliability of services.
Good progress towards achieving these objectives has been made in recent years through investment under the national development plan and further major investments are planned. In the current year alone Iarnród Éireann will receive more than €300 million for investment in the rail network. In submitting projects for Exchequer funding Iarnród Éireann has not submitted any proposals to re-open disused lines.
Furthermore, I have not received any report from Iarnród Éireann recommending the closure of either the Rosslare to Gorey or the Rosslare to Waterford rail line or the closure of any railway line. Exchequer funds are being allocated in the current year to upgrade the Dublin to Rosslare rail link.
In separate replies to questions on today's order paper, I have highlighted the scale of investment currently taking place in our railways. Future investment will be guided by a strategic study of the Irish railways which commenced earlier this year. The primary purpose of the study is to provide the Government with a basis for establishing a strategic policy framework for the future development of the rail passenger and rail freight sector in Ireland.
Following an extensive nationwide consultation exercise on the terms of reference for the study my Department received more than 150 written submissions with regard to rail issues in Ireland. These included proposals for re-opening old rail lines, the construction of new lines and spurs and loops to the current network, and the upgrading of current services. The submissions were the subject of further discussion at public consultation workshops held in Limerick, Dublin and Sligo.
I understand the submissions received include proposals relating to developing a Western rail corridor, which would link Sligo with Cork via Claremorris, Athenry and Limerick; a commuter service to Galway and the upgrading of rail services in the Waterford area. These, and all the other rail proposals received, are currently being assessed as part of the strategic rail review which will make recommendations in that regard.
The strategic rail review will examine the long-term rail requirements for the country as a whole in the light of the emerging spatial planning and regional development policies and local land use and transportation studies. The review will embrace both rail freight and rail passenger services and will cover both urban, commuter and inter-regional rail services. The review is due to be completed by the end of this year.
David Stanton
Ceist:81 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Transport if the feasibility study concerning the re-opening of the Cork-Midleton rail link has been completed; if not, the expected completion date; if the rail link will be re-opened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18253/02]
I am informed by Iarnród Éireann that the feasibility study, which is examining the prospects for the development of commuter rail services from Blarney to Cobh and Midleton via Cork and the opening of a number of stations at appropriate locations, is nearing completion. The report, which arose from proposals put forward in the Cork area strategic plan and which was commissioned by Iarnród Éireann, is at the draft final stage and I understand it will be completed in the next month or so.